In September, The CJN learned that Netflix was reportedly launching its services in Israel as part of its expansion to 150 other countries.
Today, that legacy was fulfilled as Netflix Inc. launched services in 130 countries (before today it was only available in 60). In addition to Israel, Netflix is now available in India, Nigeria, Russia, Saudi Arabia, and pretty much every country in the world except for China. The streaming service did note in a statement that it “continues to explore options for providing the service” to China, where the government enforces a strict censorship on all forms of new media, including the Internet.
Today, Netflix boasts some 70 million users around the world, who pay a monthly fee for unlimited streaming.
“With this launch, consumers around the world — from Singapore to St. Petersburg, from San Francisco to Sao Paulo — will be able to enjoy TV shows and movies simultaneously — no more waiting,” Netflix co-founder and CEO Reed Hastings said recently at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas.
“While you have been listening to me talk, the Netflix service has gone live in nearly every country in the world except China, where we hope to be in the future,” he said.
In Israel, Netflix features settings in English and Arabic, but not in Hebrew. Israelis, however, seem to be stoked about its arrival, and should serve as particularly helpful for Canadian and U.S. olim who have recently arrived in Israel and have been craving for an optimum streaming service.
For the 5+/- days a year the weather’s not good… @Netflix, now in Israel! https://t.co/5ksBPcUCBF
— Embassy of Israel (@IsraelinUSA) January 6, 2016
In addition to streaming popular television shows and films, Netflix also develops its own original content, featuring several Jewish-themed shows and even more Jewish actors, writers, and directors. Orange is the New Black is created by Jenji Kohan, for example, while Raphael Bob-Waksberg is the writer/creator of animated series BoJack Horseman.
As of Wednesday afternoon, shares of Netflix rose by 5.5 per cent, reports the Jerusalem Post.
